Bayhouse — Restaurant in New York

Come for the sunset, not the seafood.

✔ spacious outdoor patio on the water ✔ all the fresh air & cooling breezes ✔ perfect place for a cold beer! ✔ total relaxation, best casual vibes ✔ dock and dine 💯

My glaring observation was that the seafood wasn't fresh-- I could tell it was frozen. We didn't try the other menu items like the wings or meat options, and I'm not coming back here for the food. This place could be an absolutely outstanding experience, -IF the owners want that. And I'm not even touching upon being understaffed or the backlog in the kitchen, cause I understood that completely and appreciated the staff giving us the heads up about the wait time. I was in no rush and really loved taking the time to relax overlooking the water.

1). The fried calamari was ok. It could've been fried a tad moment longer, and de-greased, but I could've easily used my napkin for the oiliness. It was fine as a basic standard calamari option. Perhaps a more creative side sauce (Thai sweet chili? A tequila lime concoction I spied elsewhere on the menu?) would've really perked up the dish.

2). The steamed Shaken Shrimp seemed very much to be frozen shrimp, and bland at best (but maybe someone else might appreciate it being a "healthier option" given this was steamed?) The idea for this shrimp-in- a- jar-shaken in spice sauce at your table is terrific, but fell flat here. The sauce/ broth was way too watery for this otherwise cool idea that bombed for $15. Perhaps a side dish of bread might be nice to soak up some of the broth (I'm trying to give these dishes the benefit of the doubt, lol). I appreciated that these came out piping hot, perfect against the cooling winds off the water.

3). The Broiled Seafood combo (for $25, no less), was a visual disaster, and lackluster. It consisted of broiled flounder (it was good because it was a hot cooked item), a few scallops, and some shrimp. The dish came out with broccoli, and rice that was tasteless. ➡️ We had asked for fries instead, which came out later and managed to be a saving grace thanks to the seasoning and what seemed to be fresh potatoes. Kudos to the kitchen if those were frozen fries, cause they were on the heartier side and tasty- and just what we wanted to enjoy dockside in the sunset breezes.

✔ 🌟🌟🌟🌟 I'm rating this place 4-stars, certainly not reflective of the food. I loved the restaurant's tired charm, super casual boat vibes, and refreshing water views--- totally there for it! Very laid-back ambiance, literally perfect for a cold beer, and for unwinding. As someone who occasionally drinks a beer, the beer selection was fine. We had the Goose IPA & Blue Point seasonal on tap. The server assured me the cocktails (priced around $12.50) were good, recommending the Rum Punch and the Bay Breeze. I did notice a glass of wine was $9 which struck me as a hint high for this place. (A bottle was $26, perhaps more feasible to take you through a meal for two). The outdoor space is incredible- perfect for dining and entertaining. I don't know if they do live music, a DJ, or even a Comedy act, but that patio begs for it! Love that it's a dock and dine off Jamaica Bay if you're out boating in the area. 💯 The staff was wonderful, especially our personable server "Thomas from Romania."

✔ Super easy convenient location, just past JFK. It took about 22 minutes to get there from when I decided at LIE exit 19 in Queens to head to some waterfront dining. This location is a great option if you want to skip seafood/ waterfront traffic at City Island in the opposite direction. Very cool and unexpected location off Nassau Expressway, complete with parking.

✔ Let's manage expectations--- come here to really enjoy and relax at an unexpected off-the-road literally on-the-water spot that is perfect for cooling down from NY humidity with a cold refreshing beer. Bring a sweatshirt or blanket for delicious evening breezes. Given my experience as a first time guest, you just might not be wowed by the...

After eating here, I went home and looked at the reviews again to make sure it was the right Bayhouse I visited.

I got there just before my reservation time and realized I didn’t need to make reservations.. probably because it was a Sunday evening.

I HAD really high expectations but left feeling severely disappointed. Maybe the chef who cooked all the great food in the other reviews must’ve been off.

For drinks, we ordered an Arnold Palmer and two strawberry lemonades. None of the drinks tasted like they should. if you blind folded a taster and gave them samples, they would not be able to tell you what it was they were drinking.

For appetizers: Chicken wings and coconut shrimp spring rolls. The spring rolls were alright, especially with the sauce they serve it with…. The chicken wings on the other hand… ZERO flavor/seasoning.

For the main entrees: A kids fish and chips, the seafood linguine, and the shrimp basket.

The fish from the fish and chips didn’t have any flavor.

I took about two spoons of the linguine and that was it. It tasted terrible and I’m the type of person to never leave food on a plate.. especially when I am hungry.

The shrimp basket was good.

The sun went down and out came the mosquitoes 🦟, those things were HUGE and attacked us. The restaurant should advise patrons who reserve outdoor tables to walk with bug repellent or Bayhouse management themselves should have some type of repellent on the tables or a zapper or something. We had to run...

Always a nice visit on a sunny afternoon for lunch on the water or a sit-down dinner and drinks inside the restaurant. The menu items are vast with both bar food and entrees. I've never had anything I didn't like here. The staff is friendly and service very efficient. Revisited 9/14/24 and I'll say again, the staff and service is excellent. Nothing over the top but basic consideration and decency go such a long way for me. I stress this because I've been out many times, and the service was not pleasant. Having a great dinner last night was partly due to the mannerisms of The Bayhouse employees. In addition, all of our food was amazing and the mixed drinks were nice nad strong. I can only describe this restaurant as a hidden gem or diamond in the rough. Needless to say but I will always be up for lunch or dinner here.Revisited 9/14/24 and I'll say again, the staff and service is excellent. Nothing over the top but basic consideration and decency go such a long way for me. I stress this because I've been out many times, and the service was not pleasant. Having a great dinner last night was partly due to the mannerisms of The Bayhouse employees. In addition, all of our food was amazing and the mixed drinks were nice and strong. I can only describe this restaurant as a hidden gem or diamond in the rough. Needless to say but I will always be up for lunch or...